Muesli Magic: Seven Sundays Muesli

Minneapolis-based couple Hannah and Brady Barnstable started Seven Sundays Muesli as a way to find balance in their own lives and help bring it to others.

The Passion behind the Product

Back in the late ’60s, I came across a red and white box of “healthy” breakfast cereal. Called muesli, this mélange of whole grains, nuts, and fruit was a big deal among my more earthy friends.

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Fast-forward a few decades, and “healthy” food is no longer just for hippies. Muesli is similar to granola, but with one significant difference—it’s raw, not toasted, and therefore, doesn’t need fat and sugar to hold it together. Invented by a Swiss doctor for patients in his sanatorium in the Alps, muesli is high in fiber and rich in antioxidants, and it’s a good source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids.

And that brings me to Seven Sundays Muesli. From locally sourcing plant-based, nutrient-dense, non-GMO ingredients to following environmentally sound practices to giving back to the community, Seven Sundays seeks to redefine the American breakfast.

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The People

Hannah and Brady Barnstable were former Midwesterners living life in the fast and fashionable lane in New York City—Hannah was an investment banker, Brady was an environmental consultant. Then their honeymoon took them to New Zealand for a six-week hiking and camping adventure that eventually turned their lives upside-down. Because most of their vacation mornings started with an unfamiliar but increasingly desirable local favorite: muesli with farm-fresh milk or yogurt.

Returning to the Big Apple, they discovered they were no longer satisfied with the pace or direction of their lives—and they just couldn’t find any decent muesli either!

The Passion

Hannah’s “aha! moment” came while standing in a crowded cereal aisle in Manhattan and realizing how few brands offered what she was looking for—a way to start the day right. “And just like that, I knew what I was going to do—leave my career in finance and build a company that flipped breakfast on its head.” So the couple moved back to their home state of Minnesota.

As an environmental consultant, Brady already knew the importance of sustainability and responsibility. So he focused on the big picture; as he notes, “The cereal aisle, and breakfast in general, in the U.S. need a complete overhaul. We decided to tackle it head on!” And though the obstacles are many, his optimism is unshakable. “This is a very exciting time to be in natural food.”

It started with a local farmer’s market in Minneapolis and grew slowly from there. For Hannah, the most important thing is “the ingredients—simple, unprocessed, high-quality, and sustainably sourced.” And Brady loves the fact that, “I get to work side-by-side with my partner in life, doing something that doesn’t feel like work.” And for both of them, the goal is “to build a company with a focus on transparency, community, and sustainability.”

Hannah has the final word: “Our products change people’s mornings for the better. What could be more motivating than that?”

The opposite of fast food, the Slow Food movement emphasizes a fresh, local, and sustainable approach to nutrition. Do you make a weekly trip to the farmers market, seeking out the best and freshest local produce, honey, cheese, and fish?